erstood that office better; for which
I lived to reward and return her my hearty thanks.

The beginning of January, 1694.5, my nephew being ready to sail, I and
Friday went on board in the Downs on the 8th, having, besides that sloop
already mentioned, a very considerable cargo for my new colony. First, I
had some servants, whom I proposed to leave there, as they should appear
willing; there were two carpenters, a smith, and a very ingenuous fellow
who was Jack-of-all-trades; for he was not only a cooper by trade, but
also he was dexterous at making wheels and hand-mills to grind corn,
likewise a good turner, and a good pot-maker. I also carried a tailor,
who consented to stay in my plantation, and proved a most necessary
fellow in the island. As to my cargo, it consisted of a sufficient
quantity of linen, and English stuffs for clothing the Spaniards that I
expected to find there; as likewise gloves, hats, shoes, stockings;
together with beds, bedding, and household stuff, especially kitchen
utensils, with pots, kettles, pewter, brass, &c. also nails, tools of
all sorts, staples, hooks, hinges, and all other things necessary; all
which, I think, cost me about three hundred pounds. Nor was this all for
I carried an hundred spare arms, muskets, & fusees, besides some
pistols, a considerable quantity of several sorts of shot, two brass
cannon, besides swords, cutlasses, and the iron part of some pikes and
halberts. I made my nephew take with us two small quarter-deck guns,
more than he had occasion for in his ship, to leave behind, if there was
a necessity; so that we might build a fort there, and man it against all
opposers whatsoever.

Well, we put out to sea; and though I can't say this voyage was so
unprosperous as my others had been, yet contrary winds drove us so far
northward, that we were obliged to put in at Galway in Ireland, where we
lay wind-bound two and twenty days. Here indeed our provisions were very
cheap, and we added to our ship's stores by taking several live hogs,
two cows and calves, which I then resolved to put on shore in my island,
if our necessities did not call for them. On the 5th of February we
sailed from Ireland, with a very fair gale, which lasted for some days;
and I think it was about the 20th of the same month late in the evening,
when the mate informed us, that he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gun
fired: and when he was speaking a boy came in and told us, that the
boatswain had hear